The present invention relates to a device for massaging the limbs of a body, and particularly to a massaging sleeve formed with a plurality of cells which are inflatable and deflatable to apply a squeezing pressure to the body limb for treating same against a number of medical disorders. The invention is particularly useful in the treatment of lymphatic disorders, such as congenital or secondary lymphedema in order to reduce excessive accumulation of fluids in the body tissue. Other possible applications of the invention are in the treatment of venous disorders, such as painful varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and ulcus cruris. Still further possible applications are in the treatment of paralysis of the lower limbs because of long-standing muscular inactivity, and in the prevention of deep vein thrombosis during and after surgical operations.
It has been found that beneficial results can be obtained in treating for the above disorders by sequentially compressing successive portions of the afflicted limb to produce a massaging or pumping action towards the heart. A number of techniques and apparatus have been devised for this purpose, in which the limb is massaged by means of a sleeve including a plurality of cells extending along the length of the sleeve, which cells are inflatable and deflatable to apply squeezing pressures to the limb. Examples of known devices for this purpose are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,156,425; 4,013,069; and 2,781,041; in French Pat. Nos. 1,175,948 and 2,246,260; and also in U.S. patent application No. 945,796 filed Sept. 26, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,923 assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. In some of these known constructions, the inflatable cells are usually constructed as an integral unit either in sleeve form to enclose the limb, or in a relatively flat form to be wrapped into a sleeve and then to enclose the limb. Such known arrangements, however, wherein the inflatable cells are formed as an integral unit, produce repair and maintenance problems, since the repair or replacement of any one cell requires that the whole unit must be removed and repaired or replaced. Another known construction, illustrated for example in French Pat. No. 1,175,948, includes individually-formed cells, but these are attached to a single supporting sheet, such that each cell must be constructed sufficiently strong to withstand the high pressure applied to it when inflated. Moreover, in this arrangement the massaging sleeve is inconvenient and difficult to apply, remove, use and also to store during non-use.
Another drawback in some of the known massaging sleeves is that they require a shoulder harness, when the massaging sleeve is applied to the arm of the user, in order to support the massaging sleeve in place. Such a shoulder harness may be a source of considerable discomfort to the user.
An object of the present invention is to provide a massaging sleeve of the foregoing type having advantages in the above respects.